This April 14, viewers will be able to discover the very first episode of season 2 of The Last of Us. This will mark the beginning of a seven-week broadcast on Max, HBO's streaming platform. The series returns after a two-year hiatus, and it will adapt part of the events of the second game in the PlayStation franchise. We had the pleasure of discovering this first episode in advance. What did we think?
A welcome change of pace
We still remember the release of the first season of The Last of Us in 2023. The series quickly became a phenomenon, creating a buzz thanks to the quality of its adaptation. While the visual fidelity, the acting, and the script were Although acclaimed by the press and the public, the first season nevertheless lacked a certain dose of action and a focus on the infected.
The first episode of season 2 corrects this by accelerating the pace and showing us more suspenseful scenes. The tension clearly rises a notch with the supermarket scene (players will recognize it) which brings the walkers to the forefront in a clever way. We can say that, for once, the series made us jump.
She had no choice but to speed things up, since the plot takes place 5 years after the end of season 1. The characters have all matured, their responsibility is greater and Ellie finds herself confronted with his position as a young adult, seeking independence while helping the community. Abby and her gang, those who were presented as the antagonists of this season, also make a remarkable entrance.
Too much information at once?
However, we think that the series has said a little too much. Certainly, the situation is clear, the stakes are set from the first seconds. We understand that Abby is part of the Fireflies, the group that Joel decimated during his stay in the hospital last season. The young woman seems to have a personal vendetta to satisfy and says she's ready to kill Ellie's father, "slowly."
So we know from the start that Joel is in grave danger, especially at the end of the episode when Abby and her gang reach the heights of Jackson. In terms of pure adaptation, it's a shame that the series says more than in the video game, which relied on a great sense of suspense and mystery regarding Abby's intentions. This may not spoil the fun for the rest of the series, but we have to admit that this choice favors new viewers more than fans of the video game.
Great performance
At the end of episode 1, we can only applaud the work done by Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann but also all the actors who play their roles to perfection. If Ellie's maturity is perfectly brought by Bella Ramsey, it is sublimated by the sunny side of Dina, played by Isabela Merced. Pedro Pascal never gives up, and his new role as a tortured, wounded father trying to make an effort for his daughter fits perfectly with his character's development. It remains to be seen what the rest of season 2 has in store for us.
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